despight of the world that will beare the cross of Christ For the other as their jollity increaseth in the world so their crosses and troubles shall increase As it is said Revel 18. 17. of mysticall Babylon the Church of Rome that hath flourished in the world a great while and sate as a Queen and blessed her self As she gloried herself and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her So it is true of every wicked man that is in an evill course and will be and as the Scripture phrase is blesseth himself in an evil course they shall be sure of the curse of God and not of comfort for in what proportion they have delighted themselves in this world in sin in that proportion they shall have torment of conscience if conscience be awaked in this world and in that proportion they shall have torment in the world to come As sin is growing so rods are growing for them wicked men saith St. Paul they grow worse and worse the more they sin the more they may they sink in rebellion and the more they sink in rebellion the more they sink in the state of damnation they fill up the measure of their sins and treasure up the wrath of God against the day of wrath Whosoever thou art that livest in a sinfull course and wilt do so in spight of Gods Ordinance in spight of the motions of the spirit that hast the good motions of the spirit knocking at thy soule and yet wilt rather refuse comfort then take comfort together with direction go on still in this thy wicked course but remember as thy comforts increase in this world so thy torment is increasing And here is the disproportion between Gods children and others they have their sufferings first and their comfort afterward but others have their pleasure first and their torment after theirs are for a time but others for ever Thus we see what we may comfortably observe from this that comforts increase as crosses increase A Word of the fourth and last point How comes this to pass that as our afflictions abound so our consolations abound They abound by Chrst saith the Apostle God the Father he is the God of comfort the Holy-Ghost is the Comforter but how comes this to pass that we that are not the Objects of comfort but of confusion should have God the Father to be the God of comfort and the Holy-Ghost to be our comforter Oh it is that Jesus Christ the great peace-maker hath satisfied God and procured the Holy-Ghost for the holy-Ghost is procured by the satisfaction and death of Christ and he was sent after the resurrection and ascension of Christ. Therefore Christ is called the consolation of Israel and those that waited for Christ waited for the consolation of Israel All comfort is hid in Christ he is the store-house of comfort we have it through him and by him and in him For that God is the Father of comfort it is because Christ is our Mediatour and Intercessour in Heaven that the Holy-Ghost is the comforter it is because Christ sent him and the comforts of the holy-Ghost are fetched from Christ from the death of Christ or the ascention of Christ from some argument from Christ. Whatsoever comforteth the soule the Holy-Ghost doth it by fetching some argument from Christ from his satisfaction from his worth from his intercession in Heaven something in Christ it is So Christ by his Spirit doth comfort and the reasons fetched by the Spirit are from Christ therefore it is by Christ. What is the reason that a Christian soule doth not feare God as a consuming fire but can look upon him with comfort It is because God hath received satisfaction by Christ. What is the reason that a Christian soule feares not Hell but thinks of it with comfort Christ hath conquered Hell and Satan What is the reason that a Christian feares not death Christ by death hath overcome death and him that had the power of death the Devill Christ is mine saith the Christian soule therefore I do not feare it but think of it with comfort because a Christian is more then a Conquerour over all these What is the reason that a Christian is not afraid of his corruptions and sins He knows that God for Christs sake will pardon them and that the remainder of his corruptions will worke to his humiliation and to his good All shall work for the best to them that love God What is the reason that there is not any thing in the world but it is comfortable to a Christian When he thinks of God he thinks of him as a Father of comfort when he thinks of the Holy-Ghost he thinks of him as a spirit of comfort when he thinks of Angels he thinks of them as his attendants when he thinks of Heaven he thinks of it as of his inheritance he thinks of Saints as a communion whereof he is partaker whence is all this By Christ who hath made God our Father the holy-Ghost our Comforter who hath made Angels ours Saints ours heaven ours earth ours Devils ours death ours all ours in issue For God being turned in love to us all is turned our crosses are no curses now but comforts and the bitterest crosses yield the sweetst comforts All this is by Christ that hath turned the course of things and hid blessings in the greatest crosses that ever were And this he did in himself before he doth it in us for did not his greatest crosses tend to his greatest glory who ever in the world was abased as our head Christ Jesus was that made him crie My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee All the Creatures in the world would have sunk under the sufferings that Christ indured what abasement to the abasement of Christ and what glorie to the glorie of Christ Phil 2. He humbled himself to the death of the cross wherefore God gave him a name above all names that at the name of Jesus euery knee should bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth Now as it was in our head his greatest abasement ushered in his greatest glorie so it shall be in us our greatest crosses are before our greatest comforts he is our President he is the exemplarie cause as well as the efficient working cause it is by Christ all this that consolations abound in us it was performed first in him and shall be by him by his Spirit to the end of the world The use that we are to make of this is that in all our sufferings before we come to Heaven we should look to Christ he hath turned all things let us study Christ and fetch comfort from him our flesh was abased in him our flesh is glorified in him now in Heaven in his person And so it must be in our own persons our flesh must be abased and then as he is glorious in Heaven so shall we be in our selves That very
for are you members of the Church or no yes will every one say will you make me an Infidel will you make me a Pagan Well take your own word then what is it to be a member of the Church but to be a Saint Must thou be a Saint doth not thy profession as thou art a member bind thee to be a Saint In Baptisme was not thy promise to renounce the Divel the World the flesh In renewing thy covenant in the Communion dost not thou purpose to cleave to God in all things Thou that takest liberty therefore in the Church of God under the profession of Religion to live as a libertine thou art a grosse Hypocrite and this aggravates thy sin and makes it worse then a Pagans Thou which art in the bosome of the Church in the Kingdom of Saints as it is in Dan. 7. the people of the Saints of the most high the people of God in the Church wherein thou art a professed member and yet doest thou take liberty grosly to offend God What doth make a Saint In a word to the constitution of a true Saint there is A Separation Dedication Qualification Conversation There is a separation presently when a man is a Saint he is separate from the confused company of the world from the Kingdom of Satan Therefore those that have all companies alike that carry themselves indifferently in all companies as men that professe a kind of Civility that are taken up with the complement of the times men that learn the language of the times that are for all sorts they know not what belongs to the high profession of Christianity There is a due to all I confesse there is a benevolence and a beneficence to all but there is a kind of complacencie a sweet familiarity and amity which should be reserved to a few onely to those in whom we see the evidences and signs of Grace If there be not a separation in respect of Grace there is no holinesse at all a Saint must be separated Not locally but in regard of amitie in regard of intimate friendship As we see it is in outward things in some of our houses there is a Court where all come poor and rich and there is the house where those of nearer acquaintance come and then there is the innermost Roome the Closet where onely our selves and those which are nearest to us come So it is in the passages of the soul there are some remote courtesies that come from us as men to all be they what they will there are other respects to others that are nearer that we admit nearer that are of better quality and there are other that are nearest of all that we admit even into the closet of our hearts and those are they with whom we hope to have communion for ever in heaven the blessed people of God termed here Saints It is an evidence of our translation from a cursed estate to a better when we love such hereby we know saith St. John that we are translated from death to life because we love the bretheren There must be a separation And withal there must be a dedication of our selves to the service of God A Christian when he knowes himself by the word of truth and by the work of the Spirit to be Gods Child he dedicates himself to better services then before he thinks himself too good he thinks too highly of himself to be a base blasphemer or swearer to be a filthy Person he considers himself as the Temple of the Holy Ghost and he useth himself to better purposes to better studies to do good And then with Dedication there is an inward Qualification to inable him with light never to forget the Image of God Herein this Saint-ship stands especially in this inward Qualification whereby we resemble Christ the King of Saints All our sanctification comes from him as Aarons oyntment went down from his head to his beard and so to his skirts so all our sanctification is from Christ. Every Saint is qualified from the Spirit of Christ of his fulnesse we receive this inward qualification that we have another judgment of things then this world hath what is good and what is bad what is true and what is false what is comfortable and what tends to discomfort He hath another conceit of things he hath another light then he had before and then other carnal men have he hath a heavenly light He hath another Language he gives himself to prayer and to thanksgiving he is given to savoury discourse He hath other courses in his particular calling and in his general calling then other refuse company have or then himself had before his calling this is from his qualification And this Qualification and Conversation go together he hath a new conversation he carries himself even like to him that hath called him out of darknesse into marvellous light So a true Saint as every professor of Religion ought to be he is dedicate to God and he is qualified in some degree as Christ was by his holy Spirit he is a new creature he that is in Christ is a new creature and he shewes this by his conversation or else he is no Saint How shall we know a Saint from a meer civil man as there be many that live and d ie in that estate which is to be pittied and one main end of our calling is not only to reduce prophane men to a better fashion of life but to shew civil men their danger A meer civil man lookes to the second table he is smooth in his carriage and conversation with men but negligent in his service to God A civil man he lookes to his outward carriage but he makes no conscience of secret sins he is not holy in all manner of conversation as St. Peter saith 1. Pet. 1. Be ye holy in all manner of conversation In private in publick in your retired carriage he makes no conscience of his thoughts of his speeches of all You may know an hypocrite so that carries himself smoothly and acceptably in the eye of the World but he makes no conscience of his thoughts he makes no conscience of his affections of his desires of his lusts and such things He makes no conscience of lesser oathes nor perhaps of rotten discourses No they are all for this that they may passe in the World that they may carry themselves with acceptance as for what belongs to the New Creature to Saints they care not for they have vain conceits of these and judge them as hypocrites because such a one knowes himself should be an hypocrite if he should do otherwise then he doth therefore he thinks that others that are above his pitch are hypocrites and and they make a shew of that that is not in them because if he should make shew of that his heart would tell him that he were an hypocrite A true Saint differs from an
seek the glory of God and life everlasting to have spiritual and heavenly ends to seek God in all things The grace of God in S. Paul guided him to lead his life in the simplicity and sincerity of God that is sincerity that looks to and aimes at God in all things And indeed a gracious man and onely a gracious man can look out of himself to an end above himself onely a gracious man can aime at Gods glory at the pleasing of God why because onely a gracious man knowes that he hath better things in God then in the world A worldly man makes himself his term he makes himself his last end because he knowes not better out of himself then in himself he dares not venture upon Gods â—…avour to put all upon that he knowes not whether he be his friend or no he thinks he is his enemy as he may well enough by his ill courses onely the gracious man can put himself upon God he knowes he is redeemed out of a miserable condition into a glorious-estate and if he should be denyed of all the world yet he knowes he hath more happinesse in him then he can look for here he knowes he would be Al sufficient for him he is assured of his salvation therefore he hath higher ends he is sincere in all things God when he is honoured by trusting of him when in sincerity we make him our wisdome and make his Word our rule and the happinesse that he hath promised our chief happinesse that we aime at and rest in him when we honour him so far then he makes a supply of all other things But I spake of sincerity to the full before onely I bring it now to shew how it is a note of a man that makes the Grace of God his guide he walks sincerely he seeks the glory of God Thirdly he that walks by the Grace of God and in the grace of God by it as a rule and in it as a principle he that walks in it and by it and through it you shall see it by the ability that is in him above nature by the things that he doth that other men cannot do that walk not by grace therefore you have a trial of a man that converseth by grace from hence he can crosse the common corruptions of the place and of the time he lives in he is not a slave he is not inthralled to common feares to common hopes to the common joyes and delights that the world is carried withall but as Grace is a thing that is mighty and strong and powerful of it self it is a Spirit the Spirit is like the wind as Christ tells Nicodemus it is a mighty powerful strong thing so it makes him strong it inables a mans spirit to do above himself above that which he could do if he had not grace It makes him deny himself in matter of pleasure in matter of profit it will make him crosse himself in matter of revenge as David spared Saul when he had him in his power It will make him triumph over all estates he can abound and he can want as S. Paul saith Other men are changeable with their condition they are cast down in adversity they are puffed up in prosperity they can deny themselves in nothing they are alwayes inthralled to their base pleasures and profits and honours they are alwayes swayed with some carnal end or other Grace it raiseth a man above nature he can do that which another cannot do he can indure that which another man cannot indure he can dye he can indure shame he can resist that which another man cannot resist In a word you may know Grace in a man that hath great parts of nature How shall we distinguish grace from nature in him Thus you shall have him subdue his parts unto grace and to the rules of Religion If he have a strong wit he will not make shew of the strength of it as though he would break through businesse with his wit but he will consult with conscience You may know a man that is led by grace especially where there are great parts he can deny not onely his corruptions but other things if they stand not at that time with the will of God he forbeares ostentation of learning when he sees it is hurtfull when it is rather to shew himself then to get glory to God or to win soules When a man sees that such and such courses might crush another and advance himself yet if it touch upon conscience he will not do here is a conflict between parts and the Grace of God and goodnesse now when a man in this can deny himself it is a sign that a man makes grace his guide It is not so easie in weaker dispositions for men seem sometimes to be good when it is defect of parts but in men of ability it proceeds not from defect or want of parts but it is the power of Grace onely whereby they are swayed such a man dares not do it he wants not ability or skill but he dares not offend God he dares not seek himself he dares not give scope to his wit and to his vain mind he knowes what spirit in him moves such things and he suppresseth them presently and yields to the motions of Gods blessed Spirit But yet in weaker men a man may know when such a one is ruled by grace thus when a man sees something in him that strengthens nature as Grace takes not away nature but betters it When you see a man that otherwise is simple yet he is wondrous skilful in resisting a temptation skilfull in giving advice skilful in keeping the peace of his conscience skilful in giving reproof even above himself a man may know that he hath a better Schoolmaster that the Spirit of God the Spirit of Grace is his Schoolmaster So that whether a man have strong or weak parts a man may know whether he be led by grace or no. In the weaker it raiseth him above himself in the stronger when the exercise of his parts of nature and grace cannot stand together it makes him deny himself that he may be led by the one he denies the other altogether this is gracious wisdome Again a man may know that he leads his life in gracious wisdome or by gracious wisdome when he fetcheth reasons for his actions not from things below but from Religion from conscience from spiritual things he doth not fetch the reason of his actions from this that this will profit me or I shall advantage my self thus and thus but he fetcheth the reasons and ground of his actions higher this is pleasing to God this is according to the peace of my conscience this is for the good of the Church for the good of the State I live in this is for the good of my Christian brethren The strongest reason of a Christian is that that makes for Religion and for conscience if he may gain in his
purpose not according to the flesh The rule from hence is this That A Christian man ought by all meanes to avoid the imputation of carnall policy Every Christian much more a Christian man in Authority and place a Minister or Magistrate ought by all meanes to avoid it Saint Paul here declines it Did I purpose things according to the flesh was I politick I had just occasion to speak largely of it in the former Verse concerning fleshly wisdome therefore I will speak the lesse of it now We ought by all means to decline the imputation of it and much more the conscience of it then the report of it to be holily wise and to be accounted so too The reason is It is Gods enemy and our enemy should a Christian consult and deliberate with his enemy to take his enemy to be his Judge and his friend and counsellour A man that hath his enemy to guide him to a place that hath a Pirate to guide him in a Ship how can he come to good He that is led by the flesh he consults with his enemy when he looks what is for his profit or his pleasure c. These things we should renounce as we promised in Baptisme when we gave our names to Christ. If we live and deliberate according to the flesh we shall dye saith the Apostle peremptorily It is a dangerous enemy death is the issue of all the counsell of the flesh Rom. 8. Again it is a secret enemy a domestick enemy it is in all the powers of the soul we cannot be too jealous against it It is a perpetual enemy that accompanies us continually in all our consultations in all places in prosperity in adversity it hinders us from all good it keeps us from the reformation of any thing that is ill If a Magistrate be suggested by any other or by a good motion of his own Do this reform this Oh I shall run my self into danger I shall incur censure so ill is done and is unreformed onely by consulting with the flesh and good is neglected I shall be accounted an hypocrite if I do this So there is flesh and blood to hinder in every good thing the flesh will be foysting bad ends or bad moving causes and the flesh will be ready to keep us from reforming ill from fear of danger And if we do ill and be in ill it will be ready to keep us in ill Oh it is time enough to repent c. a thousand such policies the flesh hath to keep us in ill till we be in hell it self Who would be advised and take counsel by such an enemy Therefore let us take heed we have it in us but let it live in us onely and not rule in us although it will be in us as long as we live yet let us not be ruled by it let us not admit it to counsel but suppresse it and keep it under Especially those that are Magistrates that are called to publick businesse let them not bring private respects to publick businesse but bring publick hearts to intend the good of Religion and of their Countrey before any private interest whatsoever And not consult according to the flesh If I do this I shall displease such and such that is no matter If it were not for Religion if a man have a publick mind such as the very Heathens had he would lay aside base respects in publick businesse Therefore I humbly desire such to examine deeply their intentions and purposes what they aym at whether to serve God and the Church and their Countrey or to serve themselves that if so be they may be safe they care not what befall their Countrey or Religion or whatsoever That is it that moves God to indignation to crosse their intentions for when God sees they set earth above heaven the world present before the world to come and the dirt of the world base respects before those that are greater that they invert the order of things he crosseth them in that they aime at because they crosse him in neglecting their duty Therefore as we would have things succeed well let us labour to consult not according to the flesh for our private advantage but for what may make most first for Religion and then for the publick good Again we may learn from hence That A ground of lightnesse is to purpose things according to the flesh To purpose according to carnal reason and affection it is a ground of lightnesse For mark the reason of it when a man is carried in his deliberations by carnal respects this will be for my profit this will incline such a man to me by this I shall get such a place c. when he is led by low and base respects it makes him light with God though he be never so good otherwise Because carnal respects build on outward things that are uncertain therefore all resolutions built on outward things and carnal respects are uncertain He that takes fleshly wisdome for his counsellour and adviser and intelligencer what doth he he is led with by-respects with one of the three Idols of the world some honour or pleasure or base profit now when the rule of deliberation is the flesh and the flesh carries to outward things that are variable a man is alway light and inconstant that propounds the deliberation of things according to the flesh What is the reason that a wicked man though he be not notoriously outwardly wicked but a shrewd man that is for himself that makes himself the end of all his projects what is the reason that such a man can never be a sound friend he is never a sound friend he is onely a friend so long as it makes for himself so long as he gets to his own in all things As the Jesuites use to say so it is true of every natural man they do all they do and consult in an order to spiritual things they do this and that and over-rule Kings and States and this is for the good of society and in an order of spiritual things A man that hath not grace in him above nature and above respects of nature he can never be a sound friend for when fleshly advantages come of pleasures and profits and honours when these rise one way or other there he leaves the bonds of friendship because there is a nearer bond between him and the things of this life he is led with the flesh and deliberates according to the flesh And that is the reason likewise why such a man can never be a good Christian he can never go through the variety of times why because he consults of things according to the flesh and as long as Religion stands with his aimes that he may enjoy his riches and his greatnesse and the contentments of this life with Religion so long he is content to be Religious if Religion crosse him in these he hath not learned to deny himself and
atheisme how can these men hope for favour from God when he hath sealed his Word with this that as he is true and truth it self his Word is true they shall never enter into heaven So again if this be true that God is true and his Word thereupon is not yea and nay it serves to comfort us many wayes When we are oppressed in the sense of sin If we confesse our sins he is merciful to forgive our sins he that is true hath said it whose Word is not yea and nay but yea trust to it If we doubt of perseverance for the time to come he that hath begun a good work will perfect it to the day of the Lord. He is yea and his Word is yea he is true and his Word is true Again hence for our judgment we learn this truth That the Word of God hath the same ground of truth as God himself therefore it is the Judge of all Controversies of all things questionable in Religion the Word of God is Judge because it is not yea and nay but yea and it is true as God is true And it is Judge of this controversie too whether it be the Word of God The question between the Papists and us is whether the Epistles and the Prophets be the Word of God or no whether is it or no I answer from Apostolical testimony S. Paul saith As God is true his Word is true the true Word of God and All Scripture is given by inspiration The Word of God therefore is the Judge of all Divine truths because it is most certain even as certain as God himself What are the properties of a chief Judge He must be true without errour authentical without appeal such as can from himself without a higher determine He must be infallible without perill of errour All these belong to Gods truth It is yea it is true without errour it is alway yea And then it is authenticall there is nothing higher but God himself whose Word it is and it hath the same authority that himself hath As God is true so it is true It is authenticall without all appeal we cannot go higher then God himself in his Word We cannot call God or Christ from heaven he hath left us his VVord and therefore it is to be credited of it self And it is infallibly true without danger of errour one depends upon another As God is true so our Word is true If God be true infallibly this issues by consequence that the Scripture is the Judge and infallibly true without danger of errour Hence we may know what to judge of that Romish assertion There are no other Judges in the world can be said to be yea alway Councels are not alway yea they are yea and nay what one Councell hath set down another hath reversed In the Councel of Basile the Pope was above the Councel In another Councel that is above the Pope So one Popes decrees thwart another The Popes are yea and nay and not yea for many hundred years they laboured to crosse and thwart one another So Councels and Popes are yea and nay and not alway yea Traditions of the Fathers are yea and nay and not alway yea they thwart themselves S. Austin the best of the Fathers to whom the Church is most chiefly beholding of all the rest he was yea and nay Doth he not retract He wrote a book of Retractations of his former opinions then he was yea and nay and yet a holy man That which is the Judge of controversies must be yea that is infallibly true authentically true that there be not a higher From all others from Fathers and Councels there may be appeal to Scripture but from Scripture to none because it is the Voice and Word of God All things else are yea and nay they are changeable and they may be so without prejudice to the being of them A Councell may be a good Councel and unconstant in many things Fathers may be holy Fathers and uncertain it is onely the prerogative of God to be infallible like himself unchangeable in his nature and his Word is like himself Hence likewise issues this That whatsoever agrees not with the Word of God which is not yea and nay is false and naught Therefore those opinions of the Church of Rome that say they cannot erre if they be not yea with this yea then they are not yea for onely the Word of God is not yea and nay but onely yea that is onely certain and true All other Religions that are not Divine are yea and nay Popery is not grounded upon the Word of God because it is yea and nay that is it is uncertain See how they crosse many wayes this Word of God that is alwayes yea and true as God himself is true Is it yea that they saw no Image of God and therefore they must make and worship no Image Nay saith the Church of Rome they have a nay for this yea they will make Images and worship them the Image of Mary and other Saints Yea saith the Scripture drink ye all of this Nay saith the Church of Rome they have a nay for this yea only the Priest must drink the wine Let the Word dwell plenteously in you is the yea of Scripture The Church of Rome hath a nay for this yea it is dangerous for the people to read the Scripture and therefore they are forbidden it VVe must pray with the understanding as well as with a good affection 1 Cor. 14. that is we must know how we pray it is proved at large excellently Nay understand or not understand so the intention be good saith Rome pray in Latine or howsoever there is their nay to this yea Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers is the yea of Gods Book therefore the soules of the Clergy and whosoever The Church of Rome hath a nay for this yea therefore their doctrine is bad for only God is true and his VVord is only not yea and nay but alway yea infallible therefore that which is contrary to it must needs be false If onely yea be true then that which is contrary to it must needs be false And likewise again if Gods VVord be not yea and nay that is not unconstant then whatsoever is unconstant and thwarts it self in contradictions is not Gods VVord Popery is full of inconstancy full of contradictions to it self First besides inconstancy and uncertainty it is full of contradictions it is yea and nay for a body to be in many places at once and yet a true body to be in a hundred in a million of places at once as they would have Christs body to be in the Sacrament here is to be and not to be a body and no body for it hath not the properties and quantity of a body for a body can be but in one place at one time here is yea and nay For Christ to be a perfect
himself for they run from the Church essentiall to to the Church representative they run to Councels and when we force them with Councels that they may erre then the Pope he is the Church virtually so I say the Church their mother is nothing but the Pope their father and what manner of men they have been Histories tell us well enough We see on what ground they build Jesus Christ that is the Gospel by him is not yea and nay but yea that is it is certainly and infallibly and eternally true Hereupon we may answer that curious question that hath been and now is every where How we may know that our Church was before Luther's time or no as they idly say How we may know that the faith that we professe is the ancient faith I answer hence take these grounds First there is but one faith men have varied but faith hath not varied as S. Austin saith well for there is but one faith as there is one God one heaven and one happinesse There was one faith from Adam The times vary but not the faith of the times the same fundamental truth hath been in all times Sometimes it hath been more explicated and unfolded as we have the Canon inlarged now in the time of the New Testament in many books There is not a new faith but a larger explication of the old faith Divine truth is alway the same It was one faith from the beginning of the world from the first promise to Adam in Paradise till now Abraham believed as we do now so they were all saved by faith Heb. 11. Even as there is one Catholike Church consisting of all the members the triumphant being the greater part from the beginning of the world to the end of the world so there is one faith take that for a ground Indeed the Church varies as a man varies when he is a child and when he is a man he hath one manner of cloathes when he is a child and another when he is a man so the Church varies in cloathes it was cloathed with Ceremonies then which were cast off in Christ but this is but a variation of garments the Church had one faith Hereupon comes a second there is one Catholike Church that is built on that one faith one essential Church one Catholike company rhat believe in Christ from the beginning of the world to the end of the world which we believe in the Apostles Creed Well then this being so as it is undeniable that it is so what Church is built upon that one faith that was yea in the Apostles and was yea before then as the Apostle saith here Our Preaching was yea certain and true you may build on it what Church builds on that that Church all the while hath been for there is but one faith and one truth that runs along in all ages which is the seed of the Church therefore there must be a Church in all ages that is a branch of the Catholike Church why The Church must be built upon that one faith therefore all particular Churches before us that were branches of the general Church were built upon that preaching of the Apostle which he saith was yea There is but one faith and therefore all Churches that are true are built upon that one faith If we can prove that the Apostolicall doctrine agrees with our times that ours hath consanguinity with the Apostles doctrine then our Church was before we were ever since the Apostles it hath been alway yea for there is but one truth The Church is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and Christ saith Matth. 16. when Peter said to Christ Thou art the Son of God c. saith he Thou art Peter and upon this Rock that is upon this confession of thine will I build my Church So the confession of faith is the Rock of the Church Now there is alway one Rock of the Church that is alway yea if our Church be built upon that Rock then it is founded upon Apostolicall doctrine upon the Prophets and Apostles it was before we were and if there were any Church then it was ours which professeth that one faith If we conjure the Papists they are silent they dare say nothing Dare they say their doctrine is nearer Apostolical then ours they dare not say but ours is nearer why then our Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles why so All the Churches since have been built upon one foundation because there is one faith and one Church unity of faith makes the unity of the Church The seed of the Church is the Gospel is Divine truth now if Divine truth hath been alway there hath been a Church alway and if there hath been a Church alway there hath been Divine truth that hath been yea alway Now it is an Article of our faith in all times to believe a Catholike Church therefore there is a certain truth that is alwayes yea to be the seed and foundation of that Catholike Church Therefore we must search out what that yea was what was the Apostolical doctrine the positive doctrine in those Apostolical times in the Virgin-times of the Church before the Church was corrupted The Church was not long a Virgin as the Father said What was the yea of those truths some there must be alway that held Apostolical truths in all ages Our Church holds that positive truth that the Apostles held for directly in so many words we defend the Apostolical faith out of the Apostles Therefore we say our Church was before Luther because our doctrine is Apostolical and the Church continually hath been Apostolical because it was built upon the Apostles doctrine Our Church hath no doctrine in the positive fundamental points of it contrary therefore our Church hath continued Put case we cannot name the men as idly and ridiculously they urge what is that to the purpose shall we go from ignorance of particular men to ignorance of the Church we must believe that there is a Catholike Church and there must alway be a positive doctrine and truth the seed of that Church The Papists cavil with us and say we professe a negative Religion Ye cut off our opinions say they but what have you of your own what affirmatives have ye It is most certain that all our affirmatives have been ever since the Apostles time for we and the Papists differ not in affirmatives onely they adde patcheries of their own Religion stands most in affirmatives that is the ground first For we believe negatives because they agree not to affirmatives we believe a lie to be a lie because it is contrary to positive truth and the truth is before a lie the affirmation is before the negation a thing is before the contrary is not This laying for a ground affirmatives being truths our positive truths that we hold have been held in the Apostles times before and since even in
the Church of Rome a thousand years after and even now the affirmatives that we hold Do not they believe the Scriptures to be the VVord of God Yes but they adde patcheries of their own the Apocrypha and their own traditions to be the VVord of God too Do not they believe that Christ is Mediatour Yes but he is the onely Mediatour for Redemption and not for Intercession they joyn others with him Saints and Angels We are saved by faith that is the affirmative and so say they but they adde of their own That we are saved by faith and works Then again we say there are two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper and so say they but they adde five of their own So I might run over all their opinions whatsoever we hold they hold Therefore in their own confessions our affirmatives have been ever since the Apostles times if they had any Church we had a Church because our foundations are included in their Religion All that we say they say but then again they say many things that we do not Therefore they account us hereticks because we make not that that they hold to be our yea too Again the negatives that they believe and we do not believe they are but novelties in experience they are not of the ancient Apostolical faith That the Apocrypha should be had in equal authority with the Word of God in Scripture alas such a conceit was not thought of for 600 yeares after the Apostles That the people should not read the Scriptures it was but since the other day Transubstantiation since the Councel of Laterane a thousand years since Christ. That the Pope should be Supream and depose Princes such a thing was not heard of a thousand years after Christ. That he should have authority to Canonize Saints it was but since the other day Equivocation but of late time and so their idle babling of Divine service in Latine and twenty other trumperies So the things that we deny that are grosse and abominable in the judgment of every man that knowes any thing they were but since the other day they were not yea in the Apostles times Then the Apostolicall Church being not built on them they must be devised after As indeed a thousand years after Christ the most of these were never heard of The most of the points of Popery wherein they differ from us nay not any of them were never established by a Councel till the Councel of Trent except Transubstantiation by the Councel of Laterane which was a thousand years after Christ. The affirmatives that we hold and they hold too we say they are constant from the Apostles time they have been in all ages maintained and affirmed Our positive Points that we ground out of S. Paul and out of the Scriptures We seek the old way and the best way as Jeremy adviseth us There was none of the Popish trash in Abraham's time in the Patriarch's time in Christs and his Apostles times or in many hundred years after they came in by little and little for their own advantage a meer policy to get money and to abuse people I say they hold all our positive truths but their errour is in addition Now this question may be made whether their additions may be dangerous or no because it may be supposed that some among them will say that heresie is not in addition but in contrariety to the faith and detracting but when one holds more then they should that is no heresie because there is somewhat superabounds now we hold the truth and more too I say it is grosse and false foe if additions did not overthrow the foundation there should never be any idolatry nor never any heresie in these times What was Idolatry especially in the Church of God Among the Jewes was there not the worshipping of the true God Yes but before an Image their additions their false manner overthrew the true There is none of them fundamental Points as we call them though they make them fundamental they make their Traditions of as much authority as the Word of God and their fooleries as the Articles of faith they overthrow the main foundation they are such additions as are destructive to joyn with the Word of God Traditions To worship God under another species and kind is to be an Idolater though they worship the true God if it be after a false manner it is prohibited St. Paul saith and with a commination Gal. 1. If I or an Angell from Heaven teach otherwise beside put case it be not plainly and directly contrary if he teach other things that are not necessary to be believed Let him be accursed VVe ought not to go from the Scriptures in any fundamentall point of faith under pain of a curse Therefore Poperie is a cursed Religion in respect of their very additions Doth not St. Paul tell the Galatians they were fallen from Christ if they added circumcision to Christ He doth not say if they did that which was directly contrary to faith no but in adding circumcision and works to Christ they were fallen from Christ whole Christ or no Christ. In some cases additions are heresies and overthrow the foundation If this be so we may answer another question easily The Apostolical doctrine you see is onely yea Whether then it be safer to be a Papist or a Protestant considering that whatsoever we hold they do hold I answer to be a Protestant it is safer in any mans judgement because all that we say themselves say it hath been Apostolical we can prove in all ages of the Church our affirmatives we have a Catalogue of witnesses in all ages of them that held what we say it was founded in the Apostles and then came down to all ages But what they say distinct and differing from us they have not the like testimony for for indeed they are so beaten that Bellarmine hath this The authority of all Councels and Fathers and all depends upon the authority of the present Church bring to them Councels and Fathers Tush tush all authority depends upon the present Church VVhat authority gives the present Church when 20. yeares after the Church varies What certainty is there when all authority of former times shall depend upon the present Church In those things wherein they differ from us and that we deny any understanding reasonable man may see that they are novelties and corruptions As for the Pope to depose Princes if a man have but his naturals he may see it abominable To pray in a strange tongue to debar the people of the wine when Christ saith Drink ye all of it who that hath ordinary discretion but will think it absurd There is nothing that we differ from them in but a man that hath but his naturals will condemne Therefore ours is safer a great deal by their own confession the learnedest of them that it is enough to believe as we do Do we
this promise A Virgin shall conceive and beare a son and to us a Child is borne and a son is given to signifie that therefore they should have deliverance because God would give them a better thing then that he would give them Christ in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen and because Christ should come of that people they should not miscarrie in captivity under their enemies for then how should Christ come of them Therefore because a Virgin should conceive and because a Child shall be born and a Son given therefore you shall have outward deliverance All other things are Yea and Amen for Christ as St. Paul divinely reasons Rom. 8. If he spared not his onely begotten Son but gave him to death for us all how shall he not with him give us all things else All other promises are made in Christ and performed for him And since the grand promise it self is now Amen that Christ is come it is a pledge of all other things that are to come Is Christ come in the flesh according to the promise hath he done all and suffered all according to the prophecies as it was written of him Then why shall we not look for the accomplishment of all that are to come on the same ground have we not a pledge Why shall we not look for the resurrection of the bodie for the day of judgement for the second comming of Christ is not his first comming a pledge of it When God is become man and was mortall why should we doubt that man being mortall should be immortall is not the greater performed already Is it not a greater matter for God to become man and to die in our nature then for we that are mortal to become immortall by Christ Why should we not expect that which is to come since the greater is done why should we doubt that we shall be taken up to God since he is come down to man Therefore since it is upon the same ground let us look for the performance of all to be Yea and Amen Since the comming of Christ many promises have been performed in the Church and many yet remain some have been performed as the calling of the Gentiles and the discovery of Antichrist foretold by Saint Paul and the consuming of him in part There is somewhat unfulfilled the conversion of the Jewes the confusion of Antichrist the resurrection to glory with Christ c. Why should we doubt of them that are to come having such a pledge of truth of God and Christ in the reall performance of that which is past Let us not doubt of it for in Revelations 9. when he speaks of the destruction of Antichrist It is done it is done saith the Angel As Christ said when he was on the Crosse all was finished so it is as true of his adversaries all is done it is as sure as if it were done already Therefore the Church and people of God should comfort themselves for the time to come in the destruction of the implacable malicious enemies of the Church that glory in the flesh that set up an outward Religion that is opposite to the power of Christ that the time shall come that all shall be done to them and that all other promises shall be finished for as in the first coming of Christ all was finished for the working of our salvation so in his second coming there will be a time when it will be said all is finished for the accomplishment of that which was done in his first coming Therefore let us stablish our soules in the expectation of the blessed promises for All the promises in Christ are Yea and Amen and shall be for ever All the promises are infallibly true as God and as Christ himself is true Christ shall as soon fail and God shall as soon fail as any promise that we have made us in the Gospel if we apprehend it in Christ and believe it in Christ. Then here you see for the direction of our judgment what to think of a rotten opinion that some have that are unacquainted with divine truth and the alsufficiencie of Christ and the mercy of God in Christ that consider not the vilenesse of our nature and the infinite Majesty of God they will have the Gentiles saved by the light of nature and the Jewes by the Law of Moses and Christians by the Gospell of Christ as if there were some other meanes to come to heaven and to the favour of God then by Christ. Whereas now all that we have must be by promises and all the promises we have are in Christ they are all Yea in him without him there is no intercourse between the Majestie of God and us Therefore Act. 4. There is no name under heaven whereby we can be saved but by the Name of Jesus Which not onely confutes the divellish opinion conceit that some have but also the charitable errour of others that think the Heathens that never heard of Christ shall be saved I leave them to their Judge We must go to the Scriptures all the promises are in Christ in him they are Yea in him they are made in him they are Amen in him they are performed out of him we have nothing out of the promises in him we have nothing How are we to magnifie God that we live in the sun-shine of the Gospel that in Christ we have precious and rich promises A precious Saviour we have and precious faith to lay hold on him and precious promises all precious both promises to be believed and our Saviour in whom they are apprehended he is a precious stone and the faith that laies hold on him is precious How are we to blesse God that we have these advantages that we have Christ laid open and precious and rich promises whereby we may have precious faith to lay hold on these precious promises we are much to blesse God for it Again are all the promises of God in Christ and in him Yea and Amen This should direct us in our dealing with God not to go directly to him but by a promise and when we have a promise look to Christ in whom it is performed Go to God in the blessed promises that we have for Christs sake that he would perform all If we ask any thing of God in Chrsts Name we shall receive it because the promises are in him If we thank God for any thing it must be in Christ for that we have in him What a comfort is this that we may go to God in Christ and claime the promises boldly because we see out of the love he beares to Christ he loves us and hath made us promises in him and as verily as he loves him so he loves us and will perform all his gracious promises to us If we lay fast hold on Christ I say he can as soone alter his love to Christ as to us for the loves us with the same love
hath lived as in the presence of God all his dayes He that hath presented to his soul as it were the barre of Christ in his life-time that hath lived as one that could give an account and reckoning when he comes to the point that he must give up his account how joyfully and comfortably will he do it So much for that verse I come now to the last Verse of the Chapter VERSE XXIV Not that we have dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy for by faith ye stand SAint Paul is yet in his clearing he is yet in his apology Not that we have dominion over your faith c. I do not tell you I came not yet to spare you as if I meant to domineer over your faith when I came because those words I came not yet to spare you might seem to carry some highnesse some Lordlinesse with them as if the Apostle would have taken much upon him therefore he corrects those words in this Verse Not that we have dominion over your faith c. So that in these words he removes a suspition of spiritual tyranny over them because he had said before he came not to spare them they might think What would he have done if he had come would he have enforced us Oh no indeed your reformation hath spared me a labour and you a chiding but if I had reproved you sharply it should have been for your good Then he sets down the true cause We are helpers of your joy If I had come and told you of your faults if I had not spared you it should have been to help your joy and now I came not to you it is to help your joy my scope in all is to be a furtherer of your joy So these words are a reason of the former why he did not come to domineer over their faith For by faith ye stand You stand by faith and you stand out by faith against all oppositions whatsoever therefore your faith must not lean on me I must not domineer over that you stand by if your faith should rely on me I am but a man faith must rely on God it must have a better pillar then my self you must stand upon Divine strength therefore you stand by faith and if you stand by faith we have no reason to have dominion over your faith These words are declined by many Interpreters they know not what the dependance is but this is the best dependance of the words We domineer not or rule not over your faith because by faith you stand as upon a bottom you stand against all adverse power by faith Therefore you had need to have it well founded you had need to plant your faith well by which you stand against all opposite power and against all humane authority For a man may be a liar and do good in many things a man hath a deceitful nature as far as he hath a corrupt principle in him he may deceive and yet be a good man too in particular cases he may shew himself a changeable creature But there must be no falshood or uncertainty in faith for it is a grace that must have truth and certainty it must have unmoveable and unchangeable truth to build on therefore we domineer not over your faith God forbid we should do so for faith is the grace whereby you stand if you should build upon us as men you could not stand alway The Point is clear That No creature hath dominion over the faith of another The faith of a man is onely subject to the Spirit of God to God and to Christ. And by the way S. Paul taxeth those false Apostles and false Teachers that laboured to creep into the consciences of people to have higher place in the hearts of people then they should have that so they might rule the people as they list Now that should not be the scope of the Minister to have dominion over the faith of others for the Ministery is a Ministery not a Magistracy A Minister so far as he is a Pastor he is a Minister that is he is to deliver things from God that may stablish the soul not to domineer over mens faith as if he could prescribe what men should believe Now to unfold this Point I will first shew what it is to have no dominion over mens faith And then what it is to have dominion and rule over other mens faith and who are guilty of this Not to have dominion over another mans faith it is not when a Church doth force prescribing to the Articles of Religion that is not to have dominion over the faith of others to draw people to conformity of the same Religion in the substantials of it as some that seek extravagant liberty lay that imputation perhaps it is used in all Churches Again it is not to domineer over faith to suppresse that that they call of late in neighbour-Countreys a liberty of prophesie to suppresse a liberty of preaching when men list that men should have an unbridled licence We see in Polonia and those Countreys what abundance of Hereticks there are where there is more liberty to preach and to publish what men list Those Countreys are like Africk where they say there are alway new Monsters Or like to Egypt when Nilus overflowes it leaves a slime behind and when the Sun works upon that slime it breeds many imperfect strange creatures So those Countreys where there is liberty of Religions there are alwayes some strange novel opinions some Monsters experience of forreign Countreys shews it too true therefore to hinder that extravagant liberty is not dominion over faith Nay to force men to the meanes of faith it is not to domineer over faith S. Austin himself was once of this mind that people were not to be forced it is true but they may be compelled to the means though they cannot be compelled to believe Men may be compelled to the means by mulcts and other courses of State And it is a happy necessity when people are forced to the means under which means by Gods blessing they may be reduced to abetter habit and temper of soul. Therefore it is cruelty to neglect this care to leave people to their own liberty to attend upon the means or not to attend on them Therefore our State is and may be justified well for those violent courses to Recusants And many of them after blesse God they have done it and they have cause For there is a Majestie in the Ordinances of God if people were brought under the means Gods Spirit would make the means effectual And there is not a greater snare of the Devil whereby he holds more in the Romish Church in perdition then by perswading them that it is a dangerous thing to come to our prayers and to attend upon the means of salvation when as in our Liturgy there is nothing that may justly offend Therefore to force to the means it is not
that the Romish Religion indeed is nothing but a meer carnal devillish policy to bring others to be subject to them and to make not only Kings and Princes but to make God and Christ and the Scriptures whatsoever is divine or humane to make all to serve their aimes What do they with Christ but under the Name of Christ serve themselves What do they with the Church but under the name of the Church carry their own ends What do they with the names of Saints and Angels Peter Mary c. but under a plausible pretence carry their own ends and set up a visible greatnesse in this world answerable to the Cesarian Monarchy This is plain and evident to all that will see that it is so and one main way to attain their ends is to rule over the conscience And that they may help all the better forward they have raised in the Church a kind of faith which they call an implicite and infolded faith that people must believe what the Church teacheth though they know not in particular what the Church teacheth and so they lead people hoodwinck'd whither they please themselves To make some Use of it briefly Let us labour to blesse God that hath freed us from this spiritual tyranny O beloved it is a great tyranny when conscience is awaked to be racked and tormented and stung by Scorpions to have conscience tormented with Popish errours as in the point of satisfaction the most of them if their eyes be open they dye with terrour O it is a blessed liberty that we are brought out of Antichristian darknesse that we know we believe and upon what termes we believe and are taught to submit our conscience only to the blessed truth of God that the soul it is the bed as it were only for Christ and his holy Spirit to dwell in and to lodge in and that no man may force the conscience with any opinion of his own further then it is demonstrated out of the Word of God what a sweet inlargement of Spirit do we live in now and our unthankfulnesse perhaps may occasion God to bring us in some degree of Popish darknesse again I beseech you let us stand for the liberty of Christ and the liberty of our consciences against the spirituall tyrant of soules Let us maintain our liberty by all we can by all lawes and execution of lawes by all that may uphold our spirituall liberty for there is no bondage to that of the soul. Do but a little consider the misery of the implicite faith that the Popish sort are under that infolded inwrapped faith wherein they are bound to believe without searching what the Church determines Hereupon they swallow in all doctrines that tend to superstition that tend to rebellion that tends to treason they swallow up all under this implicite faith as if God had set an Ordinance and Ministery in the Church against himself as if he had advanced any Ministery against his own Ordinance When you think of Popery consider not so much particular dotages as about Images and Transubstantiation and Reliques c. but consider the very life and soul of Popery in this opinion the leading errour of all others the tyranny over soules of people and holding them in blindnesse and darknesse It is not a device of mine do but read the Council of Trent in some editions There the late Pins Quartus that sate there daily he made more Articles then the Apostles distinct not proved by Scripture he made Articles of his own to be believed people were tied upon the necessity of salvation to believe them and to believe them with that faith that is due to Scripture And it is a common tenent among them Every man is bound to be under the authority of the Church of Rome under peril of damnation There is the grand errour that 't is a matter necessary to salvation to be under their tyranny Hereby they excommunicated all the Eastern Churches and all former times wherein they were not undes the Romane tyranny for that is but of late six hundred years since they condemned S. Cyprian's time and other times And they made Articles of Religion and established them with this censure that upon pain of damnation men must believe these things as well as the Articles of the Creed As Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints Purgatory and such things they are so many Articles indeed as I say they have more Articles then the twelve Articles of the Apostles We say an errour in the foundation it is not mended after and the first concoction if it be naught all after are naught if there be not good concoction in the stomack at the first the blood is naught and all is naught So this is a fundamental errour and a ground of all errours that they hold they cannot erre and hereupon they come to tyrannize over the consciences and soules of people Therefore I say let us blesse God that hath set our soules in spiritual liberty that now we see God in the face of Christ now we see the means of salvation we see the bread of life broken to us we see Christ unveiled we see what to found our consciences upon we cannot be sufficiently thankful for this Thankfull we may be for the peace of the Kingdome that we have so long a time enjoyed and for the outward prosperity we have so long had But above all be thankful for the peace of Religion for the peace of conscience for the liberty of soul that we enjoy And as I said if any thing move God to strip us of all it will be our unthankfulnesse and our practice witnessing our unthankfulnesse by valuing no more the blessed estate of the Gospel we enjoy Not that we have dominion over your faith This disposition to domineer over the faith of others from abominable grounds it ariseth Partly from pride and tyranny that they would set themselves in the Temple of Christ where he should rule in the hearts of his people And partly out of idlenesse they raise the credit of their own Traditions that they may not be forced to take the labour of instructing the people therefore they fasten a greater vertue upon outward things then there can be only to avoid the labour of instruction And then it riseth partly from guilt they are so in their lives especially if they be looked inwardly into as that they cannot endure the knowledge of people They are afraid that people should know much lest they know them too well and their courses and errours So partly from pride and partly from idlenesse and sloath and partly from guilt they domineer over the faith of Gods people But are helpers of your joy The end of the Ministery is not to tyrannize over peoples soules to sting and vex them but to minister comfort to be helpers of their joy that is to help their salvation and happinesse which is here termed joy because joy is a principal
Church is for they come at length in the grand Point of all to meer traditions What is the present Church The Pope is the Church virtually How do they know that he cannot erre he is Peters Successour How do they know he is so the Scripture saith not so it is Tradition so that the foundation of their Religion is meer tradition a thing from hand to hand that is questionable and uncertain that is the foundation of all their Religion what a resolution of faith is this We stand upon this against the gates of hell and against all temptations and tryals whatsoever we believe and fasten our soules upon this truth why It is the Word of God How do we know it is the Word of God Indeed the Church first of all hath an inducing leading power perswading to read to hear the Word of God and to unfold the Word by the Ministery and that is all that the Church doth but when we hear this there is a Divine intrinsecal majestie in the Word it self by which I know the Word to be the Word How do I know light to be light from it self it gives evidence from it self so Divine light in the Scriptures gives light of it self to all those for whom the Scripture was penned For whom was the Scripture penned For Gods people To all that have gracious hearts the Word carries its own evidence with it as light carries its own evidence it discovers it self and all things else so doth the Scriptures You have a sure Word of the Prophets Our Saviour Christ himself founds what he teacheth upon the Word Shall not we therefore ground our faith upon the Word when he that was the Head of the Church brings all to the Word in his teaching Therefore we have a better resolution for our faith then they have For indeed to say the truth as we may say of their kind of prayers when they may to Saints c. They worship they know not what So we may say of their faith they believe they know not what they believe in a 〈◊〉 man for the present Pope is all their Church which is an ignorant man many times in the Scriptures perhaps he never read them and he must determine controversies and get into the Chair and judge that that shall judge him ere long he must judge the Scripture that must be his Judge and the Judge of all mankind I list not to be large in this point a 〈◊〉 discovery is enough I hasten to something more practical We see then that faith hath an establishing power to stand by faith Then hence we may see these truths which I will but touch First that faith is certain it is a certain thing and makes the soul certain it is not a weak apprehension Again in that it is said here By faith ye stand we see here the perseverance of faith But you will say That faith whereby we stand is changeable and therefore we may fall No S. Peter makes a Comment upon this place We are kept by faith to salvation and receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your soules We are kept through faith to salvation So God by his power keeps that faith that keeps us There is a divine power that keeps faith that faith may keep us so we stand by faith and that faith stands to salvation because it hath a firme bottom to stand on and because it is kept by God himself We are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation Mark how it runs along to salvation Salvation is not onely certain in it self but that faith that layes hold on salvation is sure By faith we stand not onely for the present but we continue by faith and stand even to the death Again in the third place which followes from the other faith is a certain thing in it self and we are assured of our continuance we are assured that we shall be saved he that believeth may be assured that he shall be saved First faith is a certain thing in it self laying hold upon a strong foundation the Word of God And it is sure to continue it builds upon the rock Therefore a man may believe and he may know that he shall be saved he may know that he shall continue in a sure faith There is a latitude a breadth in faith and sometimes there is doubting and sometimes faith but yet there is alwayes faith more or lesse There is a little and a great faith but there is alwayes faith By faith we stand These things need not further inlargement I onely shew how they spring from this Text. In a word hence we learn That it is by faith that we stand and withstand all opposition whatsoever for faith is our victory This is your victory even your faith 1 Joh. 5. 4. By faith we overcome the world by it we stand and stand against all opposition whatsoever To make it a little clear The reason is partly because faith doth present to the soul greater good then the world can therefore nothing on the right hand can shake the soul of a believing Christian. Shall pleasures and profits and the honours of the world draw a Christian from his faith when faith presents better honours better pleasures at the right hand of God plesures for evermore No they cannot for there is nothing in the world but there is better in Religion incomparably better There is no comparison of the pleasures of Religion and of the world between the honour of being a child of God and the honours that the world can give Therefore there is nothing on the right hand in the world that can overcome the faith of a Christian but he can stand against all though it be a Kingdome Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter why Faith presented him greater honours in the Church of God he accounted the very reproach the worst thing in the Church better then the best thing in the world the reproach of Christ better then the treasures of Egypt Let discouragements be offered to Faith by Satan and the world let them come with all the terrours and threatenings they can faith is victorious and triumphant against them all it stands against them all because it sets before the soul greater good then the ill that the world can inflict and sets before the soul greater ills if it apostatize then the world can inflict Saith the world If you do not thus and thus you shall be cast into prison or perhaps you shall lose your life O but saith the soul If I yield to the temptations of Satan and my own vile corruptions I shall be cast into hell is not that worse There can nothing be presented to the soul that is terrible but faith will present to it things more terrible therefore if there be faith in the soul it will stand against all those terrours whatsoever Fear not them that can kill the body when they have done
Adam Our estate in Christ better then Adams or the Angels why p. 438 445 Affliction Gods Children subject to Afflictions and why p. 47 60 74 126 Gods people are sensible of Afflictions and why p. 129 c. Good men lying under Afflictions and Crosses are subject to rash and hard censures p. 120 124 The Afflictions of the Saints are for the good of others how p. 102 103 The good we get by others Afflictions is by stirring up grace in us p. 109 God aimes at many things in the same Affliction p. 114 Effects of Afflictions to Gods Children and to the wicked p. 163 Affliction called Death p. 171 See more in Persecution Suffering Tribulation Aime Holy men work from holy Aimes and Ends p. 347 All. Christ is all in all to us p. 391 Alone The Devil set on Christ when he was alone p. 71 See Solitarinesse Amen Amen what and how taken pag. 401 A double Amen p. 440 All Promises in Christ Yea and Amen p. 401 c. 410 c. Anointing What kind of persons were formerly anointed p. 463 464 467 The order of our Anointing in Christ p. 464 467 468 The graces of the Spirit resembled to Anointing or Oynment why pag. 464 c. Antiquity Antiquity of our Church and Religion proved against the Papists p. 394 395 396 Popish Religion not ancient pag. 396 c. Apology Christians are often driven to their Apologie p. 215 Apostle The Priviledge of Apostles above ordinary Ministers and how they differ from them p. 2 S. Paul's Prerogative above other Apostles ibid. Apostles and Prophets how subject to erre and mistake and how not p. 374 Application Necessity of application of the Promises to our selves p. 441 Assent Four degrees or kinds of Assent pag. 541 542 Assurance A Christian ought and may be assured of his estate in grace p. 487 All Christians have not a like assurance nor at all times p. 488 Gods Children may be assured that they shall persevere to the end p 489 See Perseverance We may be assured from a little measure of grace that we are in the state of grace p. 491 Authority Why S. Paul alledged humane authority in his Epistles and in his dealing with men pag. 4 What power or authority the Church gives to the Scriptures p. 3 4 545 See Church Scripture B. Believe HOw hardly mans heart is brought to believe p. 48 486 Best A true Christian is best where he is best known p. 273 Blesse To blesse God what p. 17 How God blesseth us and how we blesse Gâ—…d ibid We adde noâ—…hing to God when we blesse him ibid. Whâ—… we ought to blesse God ibid. We ought to blesse God for Christ p. 21 Blessing what p. 9 The Popes blessing nothing worth ibid. See Praise Thankfulnesse Brother Timothy S. Paul's Brother how p. 4 All Christians or all Believers are Brethren ibid. C. Called MEn in Scripture are often called by that which they are led and ruled by p. 275 365 Censure Against censuring those that are under crosses and afflictions p. 124 150 Men are prone to censute mens callings for some particular actions p. 375 Sin must be censured and judged when it is committed p. 510 Certainty A double Certainty p. 120 440 How the Prophets and Apostles were certain and infallible and how not p. 374 Christ. Christ three wayes taken in Scripture p. 77 Christ is the main object of preaching p. 388 Christ is all in all to us p. 391 How to think of Christ p 390 Gods love to us founded in Christ p. 404 405 How to get into Christ p. 415 Christ a Prophet Priest and King p. 467 The Scripture sets forth Christ by all comfortable terms that may be p. 55 Christian. What is done to Christians is done to Christ p 81 A true Christian is best where he is best known p. 273 A sound Christian loves and values all Christians p. 450 Christians are Prophets Priests and Kings how p. 468 c. See Saint Church Whether the Church can give authority to the Word or Scripture p. 3 4 545 God hath a Church in most wicked places and among most wicked people p. 4 Every Christian ought to be a member of some particular Church or Congregation p. 6 The Church hath its name sometimes 1. From the mixture in it 2 From the better part of it ib. Churches not to be left or forsaken for some corruptions in them p. 339 Civil A meer civil man who p. 8 Comfort Consolation Comfort or Consolation what p. 39 8â—… God the God of comfort how p 39 40 What this Title attributed to God implies p. 42 Whatsoever the means of comfort be God is the Spring and Fountain of it p. 43 God can create comfort out of nothing p. 42 God can raise comfort out of contraries p 42 3 What use to be made of this that God is the God of comfort p. 43 44 c. Reasons or grounds why Christians are uncomfortable p. 45 God comforteth his people in all tribulation p. 46 48 Objection against this answered p. 47 69 God applyeth comfort answerable to all miseries in this life p. 48 To comfort wha p. 49 What use to be made of this that God is the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation p. 49 50 c. How to derive comfort from the God of comfort p. 50 No comfort for such as go on in sin p. 51 Comforts for those that are relapsed p. 52 General comforts should be had for all kind of maladies and grievances and which be they p. 52 53 Means for obtaining of comfort p. 52 to 60 69 To keep a daily course of comfort how p. 54 to 60 Christ in Scripture is set forth by all terms that may be comfortable p. 55 Means whereby we may be enabled to comfort others p. 60 61 64 65 All Gods Children have interest in divine comforts why p. 61 Divine comforts are not impaired by being communicated ibid. God conveyes comfort to men by men p. 62 63 We should be willing ready and able to comfort one another p. 62 63 64 70 71 Experience a great help to comfort others why p. 65 66 67 Objections of such as complain of want of comfort answered p. 69 Our comforts and consolations are proportionable to our sufferings pag. 82 Greatest comforts follow greatest sufferings why ibid. What hinders comfort in affliction p. 97 No comfort for wicked men p. 98 Comfort or consolation abounds by Christ p. 99 Why Christians are no more comfortable p. 100 Suffering a necessary precedent of comfort why p. 117 Those that suffer as they should are sure of comfort p. 118 Commendation A man may speak in commendation of himself and in what cases pag. 215 Communion Bond of Communion of Saints pag. 450 Companion Companions in sin shall be companions in suffering p. 119 Conceit We should have a good conceit of others p. 322 323 It's good to have a good conceit of others p. 344
is no proportion the choyse is much better to have comfort with grievance then to want the comfort together with the grievance St. Paul would not have chosen immunity from suffering he would not have been exempted from the crosse to have wanted his comfort For the disproportion is wide and great the comforts are inward and sweet the crosses for the most part are outward What are all the croses and sufferings in this world set aside an afflicted conscience it is but brushing of the garment as it were some outward thing in the outward man but the comforts are inward and deep But what if there be inward grievances too Then we have deeper comforts then they the crosse is never so deep but the comfort is deeper Oh the depth of the wisedom and love of God! there is the part and dimension of Gods love the depth of it There is a depth in crosses Out of the deep have I cryed to thee But there is a deeper depth of comfort there is a hand under to fetch us up at the lowest Thy right hand is upon me and thy left hand is under me saith the Church to God there is comfort lower and deeper then the greivance though it be inward spirituall greivance Nay of all grievances I know what I speak a little of mine own experience and it is true in the experience of all Ministers and Christians that there is none that have more help then they that are exercised with spirituall temptations of conscience they are forced to search for deep comforts shallow comforts will not serve their turn and when they have them they keep them and make much of them they have more retired and deep thoughts of Christ and of comforts then other people who as they are strangers to their crosses so they are strangers to their comfort There is no degree of proportion between the crosses and the comforts the crosses are momentary the comforts are growing the crosses make us not awâ—…it the worse and the comforts make us better Feare nothing therefore but go on in the wayes of religion and never be discouraged to suffer in a good cause for feare of men to think oh this will come and that will come No no if the sufferings grow the comforts shall grow with it be of good comfort Again Another use may be that we judge aright of those that are disgraced in the world if their cause be good that we should not have distastfull conceits of them as indeed suffering breeds distast naturally in men they love men in a flourishing estate and distast them suffering but that is corruption of men but God is the nearest to them then nearer then ever he was and their comforts increase with their crosses In the conunction between the Sun and the Moon as by expaerience we see in the space between the old and new Moon there is a time of conjunction we think the Moon to be lost in that time because we see her not but the Moon is more inlightened then then ever she was in her self but here is the reason the light part of the Moon is turned to the Sun-ward to heaven-ward and the darke part is turned toward the earth So a Christian in crosses and abasement seems to be a darke creature but he is more inlightned then then ever before why his light part is to God-ward it is not seen of the world the world sees his crosses but they doe not see his comforts and as the Moon is nearer the Sun at that time then at other times so the soul hath to deale with God in afflictions it is nearer to God and his dark side is toward the world As the World sees the Moons Eclipse so the world sees our darknesse but not our inward comforts therefore we should judge aright of others in this case Another use shal be of thankfulness to God that besides the comforts of heaven which are not to be spoken of and which we shal not know till we come to feel them besides the great comfort we have to be free from Hell that we have a measure of comfort here in this world in our pilgrimage and absence from Heaven such a measure of comfort as may carry us with comfort along We ought to be thankfull to God not onely for redemption and glorification but that God comforts us in our pilgrimage that he mingles crosses with comforts nay that in this world our comforts are more then our crosses Some may object I but my crosses are more then my comforts Are they so dost thou suffer in a good cause or no if thou dost thy comforts are more then thy crosses if there be not a fault in thee What shall I doe therefore First Take this direction in suffering pull out the sting of sin though we suffer in never so good a cause for in one suffering God aims at divers things God in thy suffering aims at thy correction as well as at the exercise of thy grace and at thy comfort therefore let affliction have the correcting and amending part first and then the comforting part will ollow Though the cause be good yet Gods Children oft times want comfort till afterward Why They have not renewed their repentance and cleansed their souls they have not pulled out the sting when they have repented of their personall sins that lye upon them and gone back to the sins of their youth and then renewed their Covenant with God and their purposes for the time to come then comes comfort and not before Therefore it is no disparagement to a good cause that sometimes Christians find not present comfort they have personall sins that hang on them that are not repented of which God intends to amend them of as well as to honour them by suffering in his cause Againe if Gods Children complain that their sufferings are above their strength and above measure and desire God to weigh their afflictions they are so great as Job saith It is the speech of sense and not of faith it is the speech of the fit and not of the state there is a fit and a state it is no matter what they say in their fit then the flesh and sense speak and not grace and faith at that time If they judge by sense then they judge so but we know that reason corrects the errours of sense and faith corrects the errours of reason but what do they say in their constant state their comforts are answerable to their crosses either in suffering or afterwards though not alway at the same time So much for that But this will be abused by carnall persons we speak of abundance of comfort but it is to those that have interest in it the book of God speaks no comfort to persons that live in sin and will do so we speak comfort to those that are broken-hearted for their sins that are content to indure the reproach of religion in